McLellan, Hill & Wallace talks Mid Engine
10-12-2018, 09:06 AM
#141
Race Director
Member Since: Oct 2011
Location: Holly Springs NC
Posts: 14,379
Received 1,609 Likes
on
1,037 Posts
St. Jude Donor '16-'17,'22,'24
Corvette has been and will continue to target Porsche as their #1 competitor. Now, at long last they'll have two platforms that are completely different. Corvette will have a broad spectrum of prices to satisfy many wallets and egos.
For those who have been suggesting that Camaro will somehow replace the lower priced Corvette, let me point out that of all the C7 owners I've met face to face, not one considered a Camaro. A base Stingray with no options is considered the minimum car. There are and always will be younger buyers who would rather have the Camaro and that's fine. But as more sophisticated buyers reach their 40s, 50s and 60s, they want a statement car, not a pony car. Corvette is a statement car that feeds the ego. That's why GM will continue to manufacture a Corvette at a low entry level price compared to other high performance sports cars.
Last edited by roadbike56; 10-12-2018 at 09:06 AM.
10-12-2018, 09:12 AM
#142
Burning Brakes
10-12-2018, 09:23 AM
#143
Le Mans Master
if GM can trickle down some exotic technology like they have in the past, CF, magnesium, ti valves and rods, parts made out of unobtanium, we will see exotic level performance at under 80k that while pricey, will blow the high priced stuff out of the water just as it does today. That formula for success as well as making the car reasonable to maintain will keep the vette very viable in the market place and retain the volume sales needed.
I'm more worried about weight, ride quality, and service. The factory mechanics already "drop the cradles" to service much of the drive train from below and if you have ever worked on c5-c7 the maintenance for the rear engine car won't be that much worse than it is today.
the parts will be MUCH more affordable, and hopefully the ride and traction controls will be updated to be more competitive with the likes of AMG to plant the torq better.
I for one WELCOME the turbo engines, the locked ecms NOT so much. GM needs to provide enthusiasts a path to pick up where the factory leaves off provided they agree to void warrenty and accept emissions compliance responsibility.
cleaner fuels like E85 sure would help there, so you run the race cars on ethanol, why not AT LEAST provide a flex fuel capability for the new corvette to allow the high octane swill for more performance AND cleaner emissions.
some of the things "left on the table" seem so obvious, yet so ignored by GM where the can hit home runs they come to the plate with a tooth pick.
I'm more worried about weight, ride quality, and service. The factory mechanics already "drop the cradles" to service much of the drive train from below and if you have ever worked on c5-c7 the maintenance for the rear engine car won't be that much worse than it is today.
the parts will be MUCH more affordable, and hopefully the ride and traction controls will be updated to be more competitive with the likes of AMG to plant the torq better.
I for one WELCOME the turbo engines, the locked ecms NOT so much. GM needs to provide enthusiasts a path to pick up where the factory leaves off provided they agree to void warrenty and accept emissions compliance responsibility.
cleaner fuels like E85 sure would help there, so you run the race cars on ethanol, why not AT LEAST provide a flex fuel capability for the new corvette to allow the high octane swill for more performance AND cleaner emissions.
some of the things "left on the table" seem so obvious, yet so ignored by GM where the can hit home runs they come to the plate with a tooth pick.
10-12-2018, 10:06 AM
#144
Burning Brakes
First I have to get this off my chest unfortunately the FE is dead gone by by for now. GM can not afford to make both cars it’s not going to happen way to risky. Another point just because a car is an ME doesn’t make it a dedicated track car. My Audi R8 manual was a better long trip car than my manual 2015 Z06. Cargo space was less but if I had to drive one daily the R8 would be my choice all day long. Look at the test cars they are not the Z06 replacements it’s so simple to tell, they are the base ME which will replace the base C7 for now. The Z06 ME will be more aggressive powered by an Overhead Cam Motor which is not in the cars testing today. We are 3 months from reveal unless they show it sooner. If I am wrong in less then 4 months come back to this post and blast away. But I know I am right or I would not be so confident.
10-12-2018, 10:10 AM
#145
Safety Car
We are witnessing some individuals who are desperately having an internal battle with themselves, in order to protect their fragile egos. These are tactics of politicians. Neither one has certified a car. Neither one has any knowledge of CAD programs, let alone using them as a design assistant.
Quote." So in a nutshell, there's a strong possibility that this CAD leak was a very, very early iteration. Coarse packaging geometry rather than fine grained production-intent math. That vertical mount not only is not a "longitudinal damper", but it's just a simple rubber powertrain mount. One that was meant specifically for the 918, and it'll be exorcised as ZF and GM adapt create a modified housing specific to the GM ME chassis.
I still find it odd that a direct competitor to the 911 will be the first vehicle outside the Porsche/VW family to get this transaxle, but that's a lot more believable than some of the other bullshit that's been posted around here."
The first highlighted part of the text, is a desperate attempt to reverse a previous statement that the CAD file that were presented were not authentic. He doesn't know what these words mean that he got from Google or somewhere. It sounds impressive, but is pure BS and not pertinent to this inquiry. I would invite him to my Engineering Forum where honesty has to be prevalent because of God'd natural laws but that would be futile.
The second one implies that this is a quote from me. I invite you to find it in this thread or anywhere else. In other words, it is made up. Another way of putting it, is that he is outright lying. I'll submit that he is skilled at suave prevarication. Disgusting.
They persist in focusing on the 918 Porsche engine hanging mounts. There are many ways of skinning a cat. Check out the Ferrari gearbox mount above.
Also, go to section 49 in the DOT and find out requirements for securing high mass components for 35 mph frontal impacts behind passengers.
Shameful.
Last edited by Shaka; 10-12-2018 at 10:35 AM.
10-12-2018, 11:21 AM
#147
Le Mans Master
Originally Posted by Shaka
The second one implies that this is a quote from me. I invite you to find it in this thread or anywhere else. In other words, it is made up. Another way of putting it, is that he is outright lying. I'll submit that he is skilled at suave prevarication. Disgusting.
Couldn't care less about the rest of your prattle.
10-12-2018, 12:40 PM
#148
I assume you're commenting on my post...
What did I say that was not 100% true?
I didn't call either guy names, I think they are fine guys who did good things. Since I never owned a C4, my comments about DM were simply me disagreeing with him. As far as C5/C6, those were Dave Hill's cars and they had ONGOING issues throughout the generation's production runs.
I bought $200,000+ worth of Dave Hill's engineering (1998/2001/2005/2008) and lived with EVERY issue (except the LS9 head debacle because I never had a C6 Z06) that I pointed out.
Now, my C7, at 4.5 years old is EASILY the MOST reliable Corvette of the 5 I've owned. Oil changes and tires are it, that could not be said for ANY of my previous Corvettes.
What did I say that was not 100% true?
I didn't call either guy names, I think they are fine guys who did good things. Since I never owned a C4, my comments about DM were simply me disagreeing with him. As far as C5/C6, those were Dave Hill's cars and they had ONGOING issues throughout the generation's production runs.
I bought $200,000+ worth of Dave Hill's engineering (1998/2001/2005/2008) and lived with EVERY issue (except the LS9 head debacle because I never had a C6 Z06) that I pointed out.
Now, my C7, at 4.5 years old is EASILY the MOST reliable Corvette of the 5 I've owned. Oil changes and tires are it, that could not be said for ANY of my previous Corvettes.
On my second C6 with over 50K combine miles...oil and tires only...One of them came with a LS7...zero issues...jmho
Last edited by ATC399; 10-12-2018 at 12:40 PM.
11-04-2018, 06:38 PM
#149
Drifting
We’ve had two C5s, two C6s and now two C7s... that pattern isn’t likely to change. We will opt to keep our C7s as long as possible and then likely move on to some other platform like a Cadillac.